National Consumer Protection Week, 2005
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

This year's National Consumer Protection Week focuses on the impact and
problems caused by identity theft and on the steps Government is taking
to safeguard personal information. Today, many Americans reveal
personal information when making purchases, borrowing money, or opening
a bank or credit card account. This information makes it convenient to
conduct routine transactions, but consumers must take precautions to
protect their names, addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers,
and account numbers against fraud and theft.

As one of the highest impact financial crimes in our Nation,
identity theft can undermine the basic trust on which our economy
depends. Millions of Americans have had their identity stolen, costing
them and our country's businesses billions of dollars. Identity theft
can shake consumers' confidence, destroy a person's financial
reputation, and damage lifelong efforts to build and maintain a good
credit rating.

We are acting to protect citizens from these crimes and the grief
and problems they cause. During the last 2 years, I have signed the
Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003, which makes it
easier for consumers to detect and protect themselves from fraud, and
the Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act, which strengthens the
penalties for identity theft. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Secret Service
are working with State and local officials to stop the criminal
networks responsible for much of the identity theft in America. The
Federal Trade Commission also trains local law enforcement in detecting
and investigating identity theft, and they have set up the Identity
Theft Data Clearinghouse, which tracks complaints across the country
and provides these records to prosecutors seeking to shut down those
who steal our citizens' good names.

Consumers can learn to prevent identity theft by visiting the
National Consumer Protection Week website, www.consumer.gov/ncpw.
Working together, we can reduce this growing problem and protect the
financial security of our citizens and our Nation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States
of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution
and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim February 6 through
February 12, 2005, as National Consumer Protection Week. I call upon
government officials, industry leaders, and consumer advocates to
provide citizens with information about identity theft and how they can
be responsible consumers, and I encourage all citizens to take an
active role in protecting their personal information.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of
February, in the year of our Lord two thousand five, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
twenty-ninth.